This project improves the quality of drinking water for thousands of indiana residents by restoring crucial forested watersheds identified in the state forest action plan

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 9 - Eastern Region, awarded Lake Monroe Water Fund, Inc. a Project Grant of $426,690 on August 12, 2025, under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664) to improve drinking water quality for Indiana residents through targeted watershed restoration. The project, which extends through April 30, 2028, will restore forested watersheds identified in Indiana's State Forest Action Plan by controlling invasive plants across 20,000 acres and planting over 12,000 trees and seedlings to restore degraded forest ecosystems. The grantee will provide direct assistance to communities and private landowners while delivering technical tools and resources to support private forest stewardship activities.

This award exemplifies the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program's mandate to advance forest resource management and conservation on non-federal lands while addressing critical water quality and ecosystem health objectives. By combining on-the-ground restoration work with landowner support and technical assistance, the project aligns with the program's emphasis on collaborative partnerships that strengthen forest health and support rural community resilience across Indiana's forest landscapes.

This project provides assistance to communities and private landowners, controls invasive plants across 20,000 acres, and plants over 12,000 trees and seedlings to restore important forest ecosystems. The grantee and its partners will restore degraded ecosystem function and provide tools and resources to private forest landowners.